The need to generate entropy characteristics for fatigue life prediction in low-carbon steel

This paper presents the need to generate entropy characteristics for fatigue life prediction in low-carbon steel. Entropy generation is a manner in which the measurement of degradation can be ascertained by keeping tab of fatigue process. It helps to predict the lifespan of the specimen which undergoes repetitive cyclic load. To ensure validity, temperature evolution is measured through a fatigue crack growth test induced upon a low-carbon steel material. A thermocouple is used to keep track of the surface temperature created upon the specimen while undergoing cycles of load till it fails, thus arriving at a conclusion that the surface temperature of a specimen under fatigue crack growth test can be used to predict the fatigue point as well as the lifespan of a material. Therefore, the results show that the total entropy generation can be used to predict the fatigue life of the material. The predicted fatigue life based on temperature evolution during the fatigue crack growth test was found to be agreeable with results of the experiments.